Sacramento Guide

Sacramento Guide: Things to Do in Sacramento: The Complete Local's Guide

The definitive guide to what to do in Sacramento — attractions, restaurants, parks, events, and hidden gems. From Old Sacramento to Sutter Health Park, written by 10-year locals.

Sacramento gets underrated. Most visitors think "state capitol" and "Gold Rush museums" — but the actual Sacramento is a food town, a bike town, a baseball town, and a live music town with miles of riverfront, a world-class Triple-A ballpark that's now also MLB, and a thriving downtown entertainment district.

We're Ryan & Ashley, Sacramento natives, and we host guests at City of Trees House — a 3-bedroom vacation rental in West Sacramento. After 10 years as Superhosts we've handed out a lot of local recommendations. This is the ultimate "things to do in Sacramento" guide we wish existed when we started.

The Big Attractions

• Old Sacramento Waterfront — Historic Gold Rush district with wooden boardwalks, riverboats, and the California State Railroad Museum. A must-visit, even briefly. Full Old Sacramento guide here.
• California State Capitol — Free tours of the working state legislature. 40 acres of surrounding Capitol Park has peacocks, memorials, and some of the best shade trees downtown.
• Sutter Health Park — Home of the Sacramento River Cats (Triple-A Giants affiliate) and Sacramento Athletics (Oakland A's temporary MLB home through 2027). Intimate 10,624-seat ballpark, walkable from our house. Full ballpark guide here.
• Golden 1 Center — Home of the Sacramento Kings (NBA) and the Northern California stop for major touring concerts (Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Coldplay all played here recently). Golden 1 Center guide.
• Crocker Art Museum — One of the oldest art museums west of the Mississippi. Family-friendly, with a rotating roster of big-name exhibitions.
• Sacramento Zoo — Compact zoo in William Land Park. Perfect for families with kids under 10.
• Fairytale Town — Playground park based on classic fairy tales. Kids aged 2-8 love it. Next to the zoo.

Outdoor Sacramento

• American River Bike Trail — 32 miles of paved trail from Old Sacramento to Folsom Lake. Rent bikes at Practical Cycle and ride as far as you want.
• Discovery Park — Where the American River meets the Sacramento River. Swimming, picnics, paddleboarding.
• Folsom Lake — 30-minute drive. Swimming, kayaking, wakeboard rentals, beaches.
• Effie Yeaw Nature Center — Nature trails along the American River. Free. Great for family hikes.
• Tower Bridge — The iconic gold bridge connecting West Sacramento to downtown. Best photo spot at sunset.

Best Places to Eat in Sacramento

Sacramento is a serious food town — the farm-to-fork movement literally started here. Some highlights across price points:

• Upscale: The Kitchen (degustation-style), Localis, Mulvaney's B&L, Ella Dining Room
• Solid mid-range: Canon, Kru, Hawks, Mother, Empress Tavern
• Casual & beloved: Gunther's Ice Cream (since 1940), Sandra Dee's BBQ, Krazy Mongolian BBQ
• Walking distance from us: Burgers and Brew, Drake's The Barn, Broderick Roadhouse
• Coffee: Temple Coffee Roasters, Insight Coffee, Old Soul

Events & Concerts

Sacramento's event calendar is busier than most people expect. Year-round:

• River Cats baseball (April-September)
• Sacramento Athletics MLB games (April-September, 2025-2027)
• Sacramento Kings NBA season (October-April)
• Major touring concerts at Golden 1 Center, Hard Rock Live, Crest Theatre, Memorial Auditorium
• Sacramento State Fair at Cal Expo (July)
• Farm-to-Fork Festival (September)
• Second Saturday art walks (monthly, free)

Planning a Visit

For most visitors, 2-3 days covers the highlights. See our 3-Day Sacramento Weekend Itinerary for a structured trip. Staying 7 minutes from Sutter Health Park and 5 minutes from Golden 1 Center puts nearly everything on this list within a 15-minute drive.

Want to make it easy? Book City of Trees House for your Sacramento stay. Use promo code DIRECT5 for 5% off.